Positive Speak - Beneficial for my students or me?

To be honest, I've known the power of speaking in almost 100% positive terms prior to teaching.

It's just natural that people feel better if we hear positive words. For the first part of the semester, I have to be honest, it was hard to think about outwardly giving this positive encouragement. My students knew that I expected a lot from them and that I believed in them, but it was all in their face "YOU CAN DO IT!"

I've now realized that it's super beneficial to my students to hear it out loud. When they're doing some independent work cheering them on saying "You don't need me, you've got this! You got that first one right, now you can do them all!" has become the norm.

Not only have I gotten my students believing in themselves, they're feeling better about getting things right because it was them, not me, that got it right!

But, I've noticed that this positive encouragement isn't only helpful for my students. When I walk back and forth in the room, cheering my students on and casually checking their work -- I FEEL EMPOWERED. I feel like I've gotten them on this train toward success. I feel a little bit better about what we're doing and how we're doing it.

This is the double-edged positive sword that I play with on the daily. Break the material down for my students and build my students attitudes up.

I dare you to use this tool in your work and life. Challenge accepted? Do it.